摘要 : Cowpea cv. Charodi-1 seeds were subjected to gamma radiation (0, 15, 25, 35 and 50 kR). M1 generation was raised in the 1990 rainy season. M2 generation was raised as M1 plant progeny rows. A single black seed coat mutant, CAZC-B,... 展开 Cowpea cv. Charodi-1 seeds were subjected to gamma radiation (0, 15, 25, 35 and 50 kR). M1 generation was raised in the 1990 rainy season. M2 generation was raised as M1 plant progeny rows. A single black seed coat mutant, CAZC-B, appearing in M2 generation of 25 kR was isolated. In M3 (1993 monsoon season), progenies of black seed coat mutants were studied along with the parent (Charodi-1). CAZC-B was tested in subsequent generations of M4, M5 and M6 (1994, 1995 and 1996 monsoon seasons) along with parent and control cultivars under rainfed seasons. CAZC-B was also tested in variety trials in the 1996 kharif season. CAZC-B, having increased plant height, pods per plant and days to maturity, marginally excelled the parent cultivar. CAZC was significantly superior than most of the control cultivars except GC-3 and Pusa Phalguni under 1995 rainfed conditions. Hence, from the M3 generation, this mutant consistently showed a higher number of pods and a better grain yield over the parent and most of the high yielding controls. Upon crossing CAZC-B with Charodi-1, the F2 population recorded a segregation ratio of 3 brown seeds:1 black seed, indicating that this black seed coat colour is governed by a single recessive gene. In the variety trials, CAZC-B showed a promising performance in the south zone locations against all the control cultivars except GC-3, where in both locations its performance was better against Pusa Phalguni. Its protein content (26.3) was also higher compared to GC-3 (21.4) and Pusa Phalguni (24.1). 收起